As Manipur’s Chingleipak Collective gears up for its Ziro Festival debut, we catch up with the band
The Chingleipak Collective brings different histories, legends and soundscapes of Manipur to the stage at their debut performance in the Ziro Festival. Held annually in Arunachal Pradesh, the festival has been welcoming individuals and bands from all across the North East and the rest of India with an objective of introducing music lovers to newer soundscapes and artistes. This year, The Chingleipak Collective debuts with about 10 artistes from the collective, bringing the diverse sounds of Manipuri communities on stage.
The collective was born from the need to preserve the cultural fabric amidst political unrest and violence. As they gear up for the performance, we speak with Akhu Chingangbam from the collective, who takes us through the origin story, philosophy and what to look forward to from their performance.
Excerpts:
How did The Chingleipak Collective come together, and what was the idea that sparked its formation?
For the last three years, Manipur has been witnessing the worst conflict ever. With over 60,000 people displaced and above 200 dead because of the conflicts between the different communities of the state, the social fabric of Manipuri society is almost vanishing. There are buffer zones everywhere. No one can travel freely. So we decided to bring a few senior folk artistes together from different communities of Manipur. At least we can start talking about our shared past and history. We invited seven senior artistes from seven different communities to Imphal, and we camped for three nights and composed a song based on our folklores. The song we made was called Ringmanasey Kanamne: Together in Peace. And we decided to call the initiative The Chingleipak Collective.
What does the name Chingleipak represent, and why did you choose it as the identity of the collective?
Chingleipak means Land of Hills. This is a word we come across often in ancient Manipuri literature and songs. We chose it because Manipur is a land of hills, and we wanted to give ourselves a new name that can still connect us to our ancestors.
The members come from different backgrounds and musical influences. How do those differences become a strength rather than a challenge?
The strength of Manipur is in those differences between the tribes and communities. Since time immemorial, we have co-existed. We are, in fact, trying to engage with each other through our shared past and history. Our folk songs carry all the information about our shared past. Now is the time to dig into the past and bring out the beauty of co-existence. That’s the way to heal Manipur.
How would you describe the distinctive sound and identity of The Chingleipak Collective?
Each artiste in the project brings his or her own stories. The first song we made was in eight different languages of Manipur, and it was 11 minutes long. Each artiste represents their own tribes or communities. We give importance to everyone equally. We believe that we are closer to the world music genre through our soundscape.
When several artistic voices come together, creative differences are inevitable. How do you navigate them?
Yes, it takes a longer time for us to make any decision musically or lyrically. But our goal is always to respect the histories of every community, keeping in mind Manipur as one place where we all belong.
What is one thing that each member uniquely brings to the collective?
Their own stories and their respective folk tunes and rhythms.
Does performing at a festival known for bringing together diverse musical voices feel particularly significant for your collective? What can one look forward to from your performance?
In fact, this is going to be our debut show. So we will be playing different folk tunes from different tribes and communities of Manipur. We are grateful to be a part of the Ziro Festival. Big thanks to the organisers. It is a great leap for the collective.
How important is collaboration in keeping indigenous and regional art forms alive?
It is important to know our roots and reflect on them sincerely and collectively; otherwise, the media these days easily categorise us as Christians, Hindus, and Muslims. We have seen the worst in the last three years. We are having this initiative for a reason.